Turning attachment for automobiles



A. HART. TURNING ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES- Jan. 9, 1923.

FILED AUG. L192].

Jan. 9, 1923.

A. HART. TURNING ATTACHMENT [0R AUTOMOBILES.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- FILED AUG- 2,192].

Patented Jan. 9, 1923.

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. ADOLIH HART, OF-NEVJ vYORK, N. Y.

i,441,ia

series.

TURNING .ATTACHMENT FOP AUTOMOBILES.

. Application filed August 2,1921. Serial No. 489,270.

have invented certain new and useful ll1nproveuients in Turning Attachments for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a turning attachment for automobiles, adapted to enable the automobile to be quickly and easily turned completely around in a narrow space, such as a narrow street or a road or a garage, without requiring any backing up of the automobile.

The invention has for a general object to provide an attachment for the above outlined purpose.

More specifically speaking the invention has for an object a turning attachment arranged so that the front wheels of the automobile may be lifted and the latter swung around'on its rear wheels.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a front view, with parts broken away, of an automobile equipped with the invention, showing the attachment in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the attachment, indicating the automobile in dot and dash lines, the attachment being shown in its raised or inoperative position with respect to the automobile.

Fig. 3 is a side view, with parts broken away, showing the attachment in the same position as Fig. 1.

Fig. a is a detail horizontal section on the line el -4: of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail transverse vertical section on the line 55, of Fig. 3 and showing particularly the drive chain tensioning device. 1 i

Referring now to the drawings 10 indicates the forward portion of an automobile body of ordinary construction, and 11 the front wheels. Suitably mounted in the auto mobile frame, above the front axle is a transverse shaft 13 which carries a pair of spur gears let meshing with vertical racks 15 formed on a vertical transverse plate 16,

the guide elements for this plate 16 being imlicated enerally at 17. The plate. 16ha-s its pair of downwardly extending forked legs 13 in which are mounted a pair of small wheels 19 arranged transversely to the automobile. Shaft 13 is adapted for rotation, to raise or lower the turning wheels 19, by means of a worm gear 20, thereon engaged by a worm pinion 21 on the front end of a longitudinal shaft 22 to the rear end of which is fixed a bevel pinion'23 meshing with a bevel gear 24 fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft 25 whose upper end has a [handi'vheel26 fixed thereon. These shafts 22 and may be supported in any suitable manner, the shaft 25be1ng so located as to 31 over which is looped a sprocket chain 32 which is looped also over a second sprocket wheel 33 on a longitudinal stub shaft 3 1 suitably supported in the automobile. Loose on this shaft 34 is a gear 35 meshing with a smaller gear 36 on the engine shaft 30. Fixed to the gear 35 is a clutch element 37 adapted for engagement by a clutch collar 38 feathered onshaft 34. This clutch collar 38 is shifted to operative position by means of a yoke lever 39 which engages the same in the usual manner and is connected by a link 40 with a hand lever 4-1. A spring 42 normally holds the clutch collar 38 in inoperative position.

To prevent the chain 32 from disengaging from the sprocket wheel 31 when the wheels 19 are raised 1 provide a pair of flanged idler pulleys i5, 16 which are located be- I tween the two reaches of the chain. These until the automobile is facing in the desired direction. lVhen handwheel 26 15 again rotated to raise the wheels 19 the engagement of the idler trunnion 46 in the slot 50, which latter moves with plate 16, causes the idler pulleys :45 and 46 to he swung" laterally, thus spreading apart the two reachesof the chain 32 and holding it in engagement with the sprocket wheel 31. v

\ llavingthus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent 01 the United States is as follows l. A takeup mechanlsm comprising a vertically guided member, means for moving said member" vertically, a partto be rotated gaging in -a-slot in said vertically guided 0 member whereby vertical movement of the member imparts lateral movementto said idler pulley.

2. A take-up mechanism comprising a vertically guided member having a slot therein extending; at an obhqueanpgle to its line of movement, means for n'iovingi said memher vertically, a part to he rotated carried by said memher, drive means including a sprocket chain for rotating said part, a pair 0t idler pulleys located hetween the reaches of said chains, a hell crank lever on the ends of which said pulleys are located, aml a stud arm engaging; in a slot in the said plate, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ADOLPH. HART. 

